The no-interest loans have a two-year repayment period, with payments deferred for at least six months.

MadREP to Administer State's Microloan Program

On Friday, September 14, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), unveiled a $2 million Disaster Recovery Microloan Program aimed at small businesses that will provide an immediate source of funds for necessary restoration work and related expenses.

While the loan program will be available to businesses in all 72 counties, WEDC is initially working with regional entities in the areas of the state that were hit hardest by the flooding: The Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission; and the Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP).

"The severe weather has subsided but our Region's affected businesses are still struggling to rebuild" said MadREP President Paul Jadin. "The goal of this new program is to give business owners an immediate source of funds to make needed repairs without having to cut through a lot of red tape."

Please take this brief survey. Your input will help local leaders shape the plan for the area's future.

Over the next 25 years this region's population is expected to grow by over 150,000 people. We'll also need to adapt to driverless cars, a changing climate, artificial intelligence and job automation, political polarization, growing inequality, and a doubling of the aging population.

Change is happening fast and because these changes will affect our lives, we need to prepare and plan. "This survey demonstrates the significant choices we'll need to make to accommodate projected growth in this region," said MadREP President Paul Jadin.

A Greater Madison Vision is a regional effort to do just that: create a plan for successful growth and development as change occurs over the next few decades.

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes and shows four possible futures for the area. Throughout the survey Fast Facts links provide more information.

Wisconsin businesses affected by the recent heavy rains and flooding can now apply for small loans for short-term repairs.

Gov. Scott Walker announced Friday that $4 million is available for businesses and homeowners under two new programs. This comes after he declared a State of Emergency in late August in response to the extreme weather.

HealthMyne and the Mayo Clinic have signed a joint development agreement to evaluate HealthMyne's Quantitative Imaging Decision Support (QIDS) platform in its Scottsdale, Ariz., facility, the company announced recently.

According to a release, the purpose is to assess therapy response of various treatment protocols used in cancer care that are otherwise limited to patients involved in clinical trials.

When Jamie Thomson, director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute for Research, addressed a room of admirers that included John and Tashia Morgridge and former Gov. Tommy Thompson in April at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, he made a point of emphasizing the important role that nonhuman primates played in his groundbreaking research.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health is teaming up with Facebook for a study investigating the question parents want answered: How much does social media impact the health of our children?

UW officials said this is part of Facebook's million-dollar commitment to study the relationship between teens' use of technology and their mental and social wellbeing.

Ray Statz has seen better years.
The owner of Qual Line Fence in Waunakee, a company Statz founded in 1956, said he and about 16 employees put in about 500 fences a year made with steel, aluminum and cedar, all products that have seen steep cost increases stemming from U.S. tariffs. "Wood, steel and aluminum," he said. "They're all hit."

MadREP is excited to announce a series of supplier readiness sessions to share opportunities available with Foxconn and to better help you prepare for industry trends facing manufacturers.

The "Supplier Readiness Series: Foxconn and Beyond" will provide participants with a preview of Foxconn's vendor criteria along with information on statewide resources designed to help Wisconsin's small- to medium- sized manufacturers improve productivity and establish a path for global competitiveness.

Building Change-Agility into your Business: Ensuring Success in an Age of Disruption, September 27

Every day, changes are directly influencing an organization's ability to succeed.

Modern technology and analytics, increased competition, shifting customer expectations, mergers, reorganizations, changing priorities, new automation tools, regulations and many other disruptors are challenging companies to rethink how they do business.

Join us as we explore how organizations can embrace these changes, and succeed in fast-paced, complex business environments.

The day-long event in Johnson Creek - roughly halfway between Madison and Milwaukee - will bring together companies in fields such as precision farming, food packaging, food safety, organics, resource conservation and other disruptive technologies for pitches to Midwest angel and venture capitalists.

Hosted by Golden Angels Investors, the conference provides access to one of the Midwest's largest angel networks.

M+DEV is a video game development conference for professional game developers and those seeking to become professional game developers.

This conference provides a gathering place for game developers in the state, the region and beyond to discuss and share the latest information on the science, art, mechanics and business of making games.

M+DEV is for anyone who is currently a professional video game developer or contractor, or who wishes to become one.

WEDC, sponsoring with SBA STEP, will fund 4 companies to participate in the Medical Japan expo on February 20-222, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. Looking for exporters that service end users in hospitals, rehab facilities, clinics, elderly-care facilities, labs, etc.

WEDC will cover the expenses of a mini booth, booth graphics, show marketing, and interpreters.